Toe spring for rubbers



June 2, 1925. 1,540,646

M. J. NEWHOUSE TOE SPRING FOR RUBBERS Filed April 17. 1924 IN? TOR- Hr-rbn :vs

Fatented June 2, 192.5.

UNITED STATES MILFORD J. nnwrronsn', or mmwoon, NEW YORK.

TO'E srnrnero'a RUBBERS'.

fa ncaumi and April 1.7; 1924i Serial no roams;

To all ii mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, Minnow) J Nnw- HOUSE, of Kenwood, in the county of Madison, inthe State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Toe Springs for Rubbers, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a device for retaining toe rubbers and analogous overshoes againstaccidental removal from the shoes upon which they are placed.

The main object is to provide a simple and efficient device for this purpose adapted to be placed in the toe of the rubber to be held therein under its own tension and equipped with compressible springs adapted to be compressed between the toe of the shoe and toe of the rubber for exerting forward pressure upon the rubber as a whole and thereby, to increase the frictional grip between the heel of the rubber and the heel of the shoe for retaining said rubber from accidental slipping from the shoe.

Another object is to make the device from a single narrow strip of flat spring metal having a central portion permanently bent to a concavo convex form and its ends bent inwardly toward the center of the main body in overlapping relation and spring tensioned away from said bottom for engzugement with the toe of the shoe and in sliding engagement with each other so that the central body portion may bear against the inner face of the toe of the rubber while the ends engage the toe of the shoe and are gradually compressed toward the central portion by the shoe when inserted into the rubber and thereby exerting a forward pressure of the rubber relatively to the shoe to cause the desired grip between the heels of the rubber and shoe.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a top plan of a shoe and rubber thereon showing the toe ofthe rubber and retaining device in section.

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the retaining device.

As illustrated, this device comprises a narrow strip of thin spring metal comprising a bow shaped main body -1 and end portions -2- integrally united to the end portions of the main body -1- and extending inwardly one beyond the other in overlap- P relation, but ten e d so that the r free ends normally spring inwardly away from: the central portion of the main body.

Thejoirned portions as +3 of the main body -l and spring arms 2 are pref.- erably rounding in cross section while the adjacent portions of the arm bear against the inner-faces of the adjacent portionscoi the main body, said arms being curved longitudinally so that the engaging portions of the arms and main body gradually increase in length as the free ends of the arms are compressed toward the central portion of the main body, as for example, by the engagement of the toe of the shoe with said free ends when the main body is engaged with the inner face of the toe of the rubber.

The main body 1 of the device is tensioned to cause its ends to normally spring outwardly a greater distance apart than the width of the toe of the rubber adapted to be engaged thereby for the purpose of frictionally holding the device in operative position within the toe of the rubber against rearward displacement thus permitting the rubber to be put on and off without liability of loosening the device as a whole therefrom.

In adjusting this device for use, it is inserted by hand in the toe of the rubber with its convex side facing forwardly and the ends of the main body frictionally engaged with the sides of the rubber leaving the free ends of the arms 2 free to spring rearwardly away from the central portion of the main body.

Now, by inserting the toe of the shoe into the rubber in the act of placing the rubber upon the shoe, the free ends of the spring arms 2 will be compressed forwardly toward the central portion of the main body 1 until the heel of the rubber is properly engaged with the heel of,

the shoe at which time, the spring tension of the arms -2- against the toe of the shoe will press thecentral portion of the main body forwardly and thereby exert a. similar forward pressure upon the rubber and cause the heel of the rubber to engage the heel of the shoe with suflicient pressure to retain it in place against accidental re moval.

I claim:

1. A device for retaining like upon shoes consisting of a bow spring a p e t e erted. in to f a ru rubbers and the her and having its ends returned inwardly one beyond the other in overlapping relation for engaging the toe of the shoe when the rubber is placed in operative position thereon, said ends being normally tensioned to spring inwardly away from the bow portion to exert forward pressure upon the bow when the device is placed in operative position.

2. A device for retaining rubbers and the like upon shoes comprisinga' relatively narrow strip of fiat spring metal having a bow shaped main body and spring arms integrally united to the ends of the main body and extended inwardly therefrom in overlapping relation, said arms being tensioned to normally spring away from themain body.

3. A toe spring for overshoe rubbers comprising a forwardly convexed spring bow having both of its ends returned toward each other at the concave side of the bow and curved in the direction of curvature of the bow to conform approximately to the curvature of the toe of the rubber and the shoe.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 3rd day of April, 1924.

MILFORD J. NEWHOUSE.

Witnesses:

E. M. SANTRY, JARED E. ALLEN. 

